S&W getting rid of internal lock?

[Gun 4 Fun]

I just read on another forum, where a guy said that Guns & Ammo just ran an article saying that Smith was dropping the lock. Has anyone else read that article? Does anyone know if it will be all guns, just the classics etc.?

I don't/won't buy G&A anymore, since they have gone so far downhill.

I know that the lock subject comes up here a lot, but if they do get rid of it, I will start buying new Smiths again. I don't mind the mim too much. I prefer the firing pin on the hammer, since I think it looks better there, but that's just my opinion. I do like the endurance upgrades of the newer guns, but I don't like the new style rifling as well. (it works, but not quite as well as the old style for lead).

Smith only sells a gun once, and they have to know that all of us old style fanciers, are buying and selling the old style guns repeatedly, in which case they are losing out on profit. It only makes sense to give us what we want. FINALLY!

They will sell a lot more guns if they go back to their roots, and keep it going with the classice series, but only with no lock in them.

Edited to add-
I got ahold of the guy who wrote the post, and he said it was actually the March/April edition of American Handgunner.

 

[fyimo]

I don't know if it's true or not but if it is then they may have come to their senses.

 

[Gun 4 Fun]

And into my money.

Can you say m-58?

 

[davemercer]

I am with you. I think Smith can increase their sales by getting rid of the lock. People like us will buy more Smiths if there is stuff out there that appeals to us.

 

[surveyor_nm]

Did they say what article and who wrote it?
I'd like to check it out.

Bill Mahnke #1915

 

[Gun 4 Fun]

No, that was all that was mentioned about the article.

 

[BUFF]

I got the November issue yesterday and set it aside. I just looked through it and saw nothing reporting the demise of the internal lock.

There is an article by Wayne Van Zwoll about the N frame, which just mentions the lock in passing, nothing said good, bad or indifferent about it. Nothing of great import in the article, just a very general overview of the history of the company and some of it's guns.

 

[stevieboy]

This is one of those internet urban legends that won't die. Back in the Spring there were several threads in various forums claiming that Massad Ayoob had written an article in one of the gun mags announcing that Smith was discontinuing the lock. This provoked great excitement, numerous "I told you so's" and a fair amount of gloating. Sadly, for those of you who are lock haters he hadn't written any such article, and the story turned out to be a false rumor, or perhaps, a hoax. Obviously, one needs to drive a stake through this story's heart to kill it. I'm betting that we'll see it raised again by (presumably) innocent posters in the future.

 

[HEADKNOCKER]

I'm with the guys who say "If They Loose the Lock, Then I Might Buy a Newer Made S&W"..
The still have the MIM parts & aren't finished as well as they once were & then there's Quality Control Too..
I'd still like the Idea of aquireing a newer 100% forged Smith & Wesson with no locks gadgets etc, Nothing but Sweet Goodness!!
I know I'm dreaming but I also come across older guns every weekend & the only thing keeping me away is the prices..
Gary/Hk

 

[500 Magnum Nut]

It worked for Remington when then put the lock on their rifles, a few years later the lock was off. Maybe S&W if true will admit to a mistake and correct their revolvers with no lock models.

These lock models will be worth nothing in trade in time if this is true....

 

[AKAOV1MAN]

I love the net-but hate it when it is a method of transmitting hogwash. This one is hog$hit. S&W was purchased by a lock making company and they still own it. Further, no manufacturer in their right mind is going to discontinue a "safety device". They might as well hoist a flag to the lawyers saying "sue me". Sad but true in our litigious society, which is personified by that moral stalwart John Edwards.
The number of reasons why they would not discontinue the lock is quite long, and simply cannot be overcome by a quite small number of folks (like me) who simply will not buy a "locker" because it looks awful and is an insult to our intelligence.
The company that now owns S&W brought us the lock (although it probably would have come anyway, but maybe is a less obnoxious form), and the liberals and lawyers are seeing to it that we will always have it.
OK, EOR (end of rant).

 

[Armed012002]

They could put it where it doesn't look ugly. Like what Ruger does by putting their lock in the grip.

There are 2009 production 642 and 442 revolvers without the internal lock. I just bought one

On the "Pro Series" revolvers, such as the 686 Stock Service Revolver, it has a forged hammer and trigger.

Base on these two production runs, you might be able to buy a new S&W revolver with forged parts and no internal lock in the future.

 

[ladder13]

[QUOTE

There are 2009 production 642 and 442 revolvers without the internal lock. I just bought one

[/QUOTE]

Nah...just leftover frames. another internet urban legend.

 

[S&W-Keeper]

That is great, the few that I have with locks will be collector items.I don't think that will ever happen, S&W, can't make them fast enough now.

 

[meh92]

Man... you got me all excited. At this point I should know better.

 

[SWBigBang]

I have seen a number of threads talking about removing the locks. I wonder if they did actually remove the locks if there would be threads on how to insert a lock.

 

[1066]

It is fairly simple to get S&W to stop putting locks in their guns - JUST DON'T BUY THEM!

If they don't sell the guns with the lock, and sell out every batch of guns without the lock, they will stop making the locks.

The problem is that a lot of people buying these guns are one time purchasers that don't read posts on this forum, and have limited knowledge of potential problems. There are also a lot of knowledgable people who buy them because they don't care about the locks.

So long as the lock guns sell, S&W will continue to make them because it is easier to make one gun for all states and some states require a lock. It is really just simply economics.

 

[Meeteetse]

To much to hope for, but wouldn't it be nice. I was just comparing my two Mtn. Guns, one with and one without the lock. No real difference except for the hole and knowing that S&W is politically motivated rather than shooter oriented. Unfortunately 1066 is correct, the lock won't go away until sales drop.

 

[stevieboy]

Well, this has turned into another "I hate the lock" thread. Look, folks, these discussions are a waste of time. Smith isn't going to remove the lock from its revolvers, for several reasons. First, because a few dozen gripers on forums like these don't amount to a measurable percentage of their overall market. I don't take issue with the passion that many of you display, or your sincerity, but you are less than a drop in the bucket when compared to the great mass of gun buyers. In case you haven't noticed, Smith's lock-equipped guns have sold well and continue to do so.

Second, because every other revolver manufacturer (and a few semi-auto manufacturers as well) have now equipped their guns with locks. Ruger, Taurus, they all have locks. One can quibble about whether Smith's lock is uglier than Taurus' or whether it would have been a better marketing strategy to put the lock under the grips as does Ruger. But, the bottom line is that for liability reasons if for no other, Smith will never stop equipping its guns with locks so long as its competitors equip theirs.

Finally, because Smith's products are more profitable with locks than without them. Smith, if you haven't noticed, is owned by the company that manufactures Smith's locks. That means that the parent company gets to equip every revolver sold with a lock. The parent's sales to Smith are direct profits for the parent and I have no doubt that Smith passes on to the consumer the cost of equipping each of its revolvers with a lock.

So again, no offense meant, but this is truly beating a dead horse. And, those of you who are inclined to take hope in internet tales like the "Smith's going to remove the lock" fairy tale need to take a deep breath, accept reality, and move on.

Oh, and as an aside, I just acquired a 1973 36 no-dash. A sweet gun if ever I saw one and, for those who care, no lock.

 

[ladder13]

It is fairly simple to get S&W to stop putting locks in their guns - JUST DON'T BUY THEM!

Don't and won't. Matter of fact just ordered one of them M442 "frame leftovers".

BTW, can anyone explain where this seemingly endless supply of no-lock J frames is coming from? Why would Smith sell them if the lockers were so profitable? Couldn't they make more money by drilling a hole in the side and putting in a lock? One more lock sale for SAF-T-LOK,nuther penny and three quarters profit.